Article for sanitizing a surface comprising a wipe containing an adhesive, positively charged, binder

Abstract

A restaurant cleaning towel made from a substrate such as a woven, nonwoven, or knit fabric. A sanitizer release polymer composition comprising at least one cationic (or alternatively, nonionic) surfactant is bound to the surface of the towel. Preferably, the cationic surfactant is present in the sanitizer release polymer composition in an amount of about 1 to about 10 weight percent, based on a total weight of the composition. The composition may also include at least one nonionic co-surfactant in combination with the cationic surfactant. The towel also includes a color label on its surface to identify the area of the restaurant in which the cleaning towel is to be utilized. The towel may optionally include an international icon, a tactile label, and/or a label in a plurality of languages identifying the area where the towel is to be utilized.

1. An article for sanitizing a surface utilizing a sanitizing solution that includes a sanitizer comprising positively charged ions at an effective concentration level, said article comprising:
 a substrate that absorbs and holds the sanitizing solution, said substrate having a structure that enables a user to wipe the surface with the substrate, thereby applying the sanitizing solution to the surface;  
 an adhesive binder that binds together the structure of the substrate, said binder including positively charged ions that provide the substrate with a predominantly positive charge that prevents the substrate from neutralizing the positively charged ions in the sanitizer when the sanitizer is subsequently applied to the substrate, thereby maintaining the concentration level of the sanitizer at the effective level; and  
 a color label on the article to identify to a user, an area in which the article is to be utilized.  
 
     
     
       2. The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is further treated with a cationic surfactant applied to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The article of  claim 1  wherein the color label has a configuration and size operable to be readily recognized from a distance by an individual supervising the user of the article. 
     
     
       4. The article of  claim 1  further comprising an international icon that identifies to the user, the area in which the article is to be utilized. 
     
     
       5. The article of  claim 1  further comprising a tactile symbol that identifies to the user, the area in which the article is to be utilized. 
     
     
       6. The article of  claim 1  further comprising a textual label printed in a plurality of different languages that identifies to users who speak the different languages, the area in which the article is to be utilized. 
     
     
       7. The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is further treated with a nonionic surfactant applied to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       8. The article of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is a nonwoven fabric comprising a multiplicity of strands of material that are bound together by the adhesive binder. 
     
     
       9. The article of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, knit fabrics, and foams. 
     
     
       10. The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is a sanitizing towel utilized to sanitize one of a plurality of areas in a restaurant. 
     
     
       11. A method of manufacturing a substrate, said substrate being utilized with a sanitizing solution that includes a sanitizer comprising positively charged ions, said method comprising the steps of:
 selecting an adhesive binder comprising predominantly positively charged ions;  
 applying the binder to a plurality of loose strands of material to bind the strands together into a web-like structure forming the substrate, whereby, when the substrate is utilized with the sanitizing solution, the positively charged ions in the binder prevent the substrate from neutralizing the positively charged ions in the sanitizer; and  
 applying a color label on the substrate to identify a use for the substrate.  
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising applying a cationic surfactant to the surface of the substrate, said cationic surfactant being selected from the group consisting of:
 dieicosyldimethyl ammonium chloride;  
 didocosyldimethyl ammonium chloride;  
 dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride;  
 dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium methosulphate;  
 ditetradecyldimethyl ammonium chloride and naturally occurring mixtures of fatty groups;  
 di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium metho-sulphate;  
 ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; and  
 dioleyldimethyl ammonium chloride.  
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of applying the cationic surfactant to the surface of the substrate includes the steps of:
 mixing a composition in which the cationic surfactant is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 weight percent, based on a total weight of the composition; and  
 applying the composition to the substrate.  
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a nonionic co-surfactant for use with the cationic surfactant in the composition; and  
 mixing the nonionic co-surfactant with the cationic surfactant to form the composition.  
 
     
     
       15. A combination for sanitizing a surface, said combination comprising:
 a liquid sanitizing solution that includes a sanitizer comprising positively charged ions at an effective concentration level;  
 a substrate that absorbs and holds the sanitizing solution, said substrate having a structure that enables a user to wipe the surface with the substrate, thereby applying the sanitizing solution to the surface, wherein the structure of the substrate is bound together by an adhesive binder that includes positively charged ions that provide the substrate with a predominantly positive charge that prevents the substrate from neutralizing the positively charged ions in the sanitizer when the sanitizer is subsequently applied to the substrate, thereby maintaining the concentration level of the sanitizer at the effective level; and  
 a color label on the substrate to identify an area in which the substrate is to be utilized.  
 
     
     
       16. The combination of  claim 15  wherein the sanitizer in the sanitizing solution is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-based sanitizer. 
     
     
       17. A combination for sanitizing a surface, said combination comprising:
 a liquid sanitizing solution that includes a sanitizer comprising positively charged ions at an effective concentration level;  
 a cationic substrate that absorbs and holds the sanitizing solution, said substrate having a structure that enables a user to wipe the surface with the substrate, thereby applying the sanitizing solution to the surface, said substrate having a cationic surfactant bonded to the surface of the substrate during manufacturing to provide the substrate with a predominantly positive charge, thereby preventing the substrate from neutralizing the positively charged ions in the sanitizer when the sanitizer is subsequently applied to the substrate; and  
 a color label on the substrate to identify an area in which the substrate is to be utilized.  
 
     
     
       18. A method of manufacturing an article for sanitizing surfaces, said article being utilized with a sanitizing solution that includes a sanitizer comprising positively charged ions, said method comprising the steps of:
 selecting a substrate for the article having a structure suitable for absorbing and holding the sanitizing solution during use;  
 selecting a cationic surfactant comprising predominantly positively charged ions;  
 bonding the cationic surfactant to the surface of the substrate to provide the substrate with a predominantly positive charge, whereby, when the article is subsequently utilized with the sanitizing solution, the positively charged substrate prevents the article from neutralizing the positively charged ions in the sanitizer; and  
 applying a color label on the article to identify an area of use for the article.